Don't Run Dry
by LilSamLeon
Summary: Shiro spends a lot of time watching Lance, and not a whole bunch else. You'd think saving a galaxy is more important than watching your crush play in water.


When he was younger, Shiro remembers that he was afraid of the rain.

Well it was more of a fear of storms really, the violence of the crashes and flashes never really sat well with a child who possessed such a big imagination. That is, until he learned about acid rain in his elementary earth science class. With no proper knowledge about how that truly affected him in any sense, baby Shiro went on believing that all rain was just really bad. Like stupidly bad for you.

If it didn't come from a pipe then it couldn't be trusted type bad.

It didn't matter that he'd never really know if the rain outside his house was acidic, or if it meant the thunder and lightning would crash overhead, he just knew that he did not enjoy the rain.

Period, ever, end of discussion.

Shiro just wasn't a rain person.

After he grew out of his fear of rain clouds and acid raining from the sky he grew to realize that really he just hated the rain itself. He always felt cold after he was caught off guard by a drizzle, detested how his clothes clung to his skin, weighing him down and giving him an even deeper chill when he peeled those clothes off.

He could never truly explain it, he just wasn't the type who found it romantic or refreshing, he just saw it as what it was, just a bunch of water...everywhere.

Still, Shiro can't help but feel a little silly when Lance let out a childlike whoop, standing in the middle of a field on some distant alien planet, helmet off, head tipped back, paladin uniform getting absolutely soaked, hair slicked against his head; twirling and laughing like the happiest child alive.

He had been the only one that was eager to even leave the castle that evening, after their battle that seemed to last forever. It was long and wet and tiresome, Pidge was soaked from the waist down from where she slipped trying to scramble into her lion, while Hunk's hair was still plastered to his head. Shiro and Keith had barely escaped the brunt of the watery onslaught, only receiving a few damp spots in a couple of uncomfortable places, but Lance was all but drenched from head to toe.

However, even after all that, the blue paladin still couldn't stop himself from being drawn to the outdoors, jumpy and skittish with excitement, adrenaline still coursing through his veins. He had asked if others wanted to join him, but once everyone else complained at him about just wanting to take a breather, he shrugged.

Mood undampened, Lance left his lion and made a beeline for the exit after Allura said they'd be staying a few more hours to test a few things and take a rest.

"If anyone needs me I'll be outside becoming one with nature." Was his call as he strolled out of the room, as if being absolutely drenched wasn't enough 'bonding with nature' as one could get, he had a skip in his step and a grin on his face, watery footsteps leaving a trail behind him.

Shiro, being the worrywart he was, waited a few moments, just to see if anyone wanted to go with their eccentric friend. Keith wanted to relax in the lounge area, Pidge was looking forward to getting into some dry clothes and finishing up some software she was developing, Hunk was ready to tinker with some of Yellow's flight mechanics, and Shiro?

Well, Shiro didn't mind watching after Lance at all.

So, he headed on down the halls leading to the main entrance, stopping just short of where the path lowered itself to the ground, and watched.

Over the time he'd known Lance, (an indeterminate number of months at this point) Shiro has never ceased being amazed at how deeply the younger man _felt_.

Lance loved anything that reminded him of home. Seeing him like this became common occurrence after one too many bouts of homesickness had inevitably escalated into such a dense tension that people had tiptoed around him for weeks. The strain of missing his family and these alien worlds being so vastly different from his own eventually taking its toll on the poor guy.

Shiro could relate, but his tension was built up because of Lance's own tension, from all their tension really, but the blue paladin's tight shoulders were _doing_ things to him.

It had gotten so bad at one point, that once they arrived on any planet that had a similar ecosystem to the particularly wet parts of Earth, Shiro practically deflated along with Lance. Planets with beaches, or lakes, rivers, pools, bays, or bends all reminded the blue paladin of home. Reminded him of the feel of moisture against his face, the feel of being drenched, how the warm rains felt against his skin, a cool hug welcoming him back.

Lance loved water, he just couldn't get _enough_ of it.

Which is why Shiro felt a bit foolish watching the younger man dance around, happy as can be, while he carefully watched from the sidelines. Even from this distance he couldn't help surveying the way Lance's lips slanted just right, eyes closed just so, hair slicked back in just the right manner to catch the blue hue coming from the castle ship, skin positively glowing under the same light.

The older boy feels his chest go tight just from watching Lance stand in the rain and smile, something loosening in his chest like a fist releasing its hold on something.

But, eventually Lance stops twirling, coming to stand still and seemingly just enjoying the atmosphere, eyes still closed. Shiro thinks he might as a flicker there, dark blue eyes opening just slightly to look up at the darkened sky, a quick flicker of loneliness, emptiness, of sadness. The homesickness that always lurked just beneath the surface rearing its ugly head once more.

He wants to reach out to Lance, make him realize he is not alone in this, but what _can_ Shiro _do_? He's not best friends with Lance, he's his team leader, a distant older brother type if her were being entirely honest with himself. What could he do that would make Lance feel good?

 _Nothing._

Which is why, even if he _did_ see that emotion flicker across his face, Shiro wasn't going to call him out on it, or even do anything. He just wasn't.

It wasn't his place.

Besides, he's sure if Lance was feeling down he'd tell him...

* * *

 ** _Sorry to anyone reading this over again because it updated or something, the formatting was messed up so I'm fixing that right now! I posted this when I was half asleep at 3 am, when I knew I should have waited one more day; these are supposed to be oneshots so I'm fixing the formatting now._**

 ** _Anyway, thanks to the person who reviewed and alerted me, I was at work but I read the review and I'm taking what you said into consideration, you're the best!_**


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